Cyber-security refers to measures that are taken to protect computer networks and computing devices such as computers, servers and smartphones against cyber-security threats such as efforts to gain unauthorized access to computer equipment or stored data or efforts to damage or destroy the same. The types of cyber-security threats and the frequency of cyber-security attacks is increasing, as is the sophistication of the attacks. The types of cyber-security threats now include, for example, attacks that are designed to gain unauthorized access to information stored on the computing devices, denial of service attacks which use various means to render a computing device unusable, and attacks which use the computing device for nefarious purposes, such as sending out spam e-mail, viruses, worms or the like. The purposes of these attacks may include, for example, disrupting the operations of a target organization; stealing intellectual property, financial information or credit card data; identity theft; committing corporate espionage; and/or outright sabotage of the organization's computing system and/or network. Today's cyber-security threats often involve advanced cyber-crime syndicates, sophisticated “hacktivist” groups, foreign governments and other sponsored entities that utilize complex malware, botnets and other techniques to improperly access or use another entities' computing devices, steal information therefrom, and/or to destroy such devices and/or the data stored thereon. These cyber-security threats may pose a significant challenge to cyber-security programs used by many businesses and other organizations.
As the modern computing environment evolves to encompass mobility devices such as smartphones and tablets that are wirelessly connected to corporate networks, remote access of network servers by employees working at home or other remote locations, cloud storage and application services, transitive partner connections and the like, the traditional perimeter that businesses and other organizations have conventionally used for cyber-security may no longer be adequate. As such, critical infrastructure and data may be exposed to theft or destruction because the existing cyber-security measures are incomplete, outdated or delivered by segregated managed services without cohesive integration such that gaps exist that may be exploited by malicious entities. Accordingly, improved cyber-security approaches are needed.